


Iowa

by Avirra



Series: An Unholy Alliance [3]
Category: Star Trek : Mirror-verse, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Mirror Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-26
Updated: 2013-06-26
Packaged: 2017-12-16 05:46:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/858523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avirra/pseuds/Avirra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mirror-verse. Christopher Pike reaches Iowa looking to recruit local rebel, James Kirk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Iowa

**Author's Note:**

> As a note, in my version of the Mirror-verse, the emphasis is on political maneuvering and manipulation rather than on violence and sex - though violence and sex are both certainly have their places (nothing overly graphic). Think in terms of more Machiavelli and less Caligula. Some cursing is also present.

James Kirk was laying on his back, staring up at the sky. The view was pretty monotonous, but really, no worse than the endless rows of corn. The sun was starting to go down, which at least made a change in the light. He was so deathly bored that, at times, he almost felt like his brains were melting and trickling out of his ears.

He hated this place. Hated it almost as much as he hated the 'legacy' of his father. Hated it almost as much as he hated his mother for deciding that out in the middle of nowhere was the right place to raise him, but then deciding it was far too isolated for her to hang around there herself. Hated it almost as much as he hated his brother for taking off to parts unknown without taking him along. Hated it only a little less than he hated his step-father. Late step-father.

Thinking of his late step-father's 'accident' put a smile on his face as few other things could, but the smile faded again as he faced facts. He was twenty-five years old. A genius that could be doing any number of things if he wasn't stuck here.

Rising up a little, the blinking light at his ankle seemed brighter as the natural lighting began to dim. That accessory was the only thing keeping him in Iowa. It wouldn't allow him to travel more then fifty miles from home. Yet. It was only a matter of time before he figured out a way to work around that without having to sacrifice his foot. That bored, he wasn't.

In the meantime, he decided to head to the local watering hole. He'd managed to pick up a few odd jobs, so he had money for a few drinks. Maybe the local girls wouldn't all be screwing the Fleeties that were in town waiting for their ride to San Francisco and willing to go for the usual fees. Damn Fleeties. Prices for both booze and women soared while they were in town.

Parking his bike outside, Kirk sauntered in, looking over the bar. Most specifically, looking over to the grouping of red barstools that was where the girls sat when they were 'open for business'. The dark-skinned beauty sitting there was not only a stranger, but also seemed to be a Fleetie.

Smirk firmly in place, Kirk moved along side of where she was sitting. Either she was ignorant of the local rules about the red leather chairs or she was looking to pick up a few extra credits before leaving town. His first clue that she wasn't advertising was when he offered to pay for her drink and she turned him down. None of the working girls he knew ever turned down a free anything.

The woman seemed a bit on the snobby side, but Kirk decided to be nice for once and clue her in on where she was sitting, if only to see if finding out would make her choke on her drink. That was when the trouble started. One of the bigger cadets decided to take exception to the fact that a 'farm boy' was talking to one of 'their women'. Kirk being Kirk, it wasn't long before a fight broke out. One that was ended very suddenly by an ear-splitting whistle.

As Captain Pike strode into the bar, he noticed that he wasn't going to have to search for the Kirk boy after all. Not speaking to any of the cadets, all of whom had jumped to attention after the whistle, Pike moved straight to the bar, speaking loudly enough to the bartender for everyone to hear.

"Alright. What started all of this?"

The bartender immediately pointed to Uhura, who immediately started getting angry, but she kept control enough to keep silent.

"Cadet Uhura seemed to be one of the only ones not fighting. How did she start it?"

At that question, the bartender indicated the set of red leather chairs. All the other chairs in the bar were black.

"Your cadet sat down in one of the chairs that the local talent use when they're open for business. Jimmy was trying to warn her that she was going to get folks assuming she was for hire when that big guy there got angry at him for talking to her. Went downhill from there real fast."

Hearing what she'd done without knowing, Uhura was embarrassed. Even moreso when Pike moved in front of her and looked her over slowly.

"So. Which was it, cadet? You were there unwittingly or you knew what you were doing?"

"Unwittingly, sir."

"And you were ignoring the young man that was trying to warn you off?"

"Yes sir. I thought he was coming onto me, sir."

"I see. Did he grab you?"

Uhura blinked, not expecting that question.

"Sir?"

"Did he grab you? Assault you?"

"No, sir."

"Then how did this turn physical?"

Pike followed Uhura's eyes as they flashed over to the large cadet that the bartender had already pointed out.

"You laid hands on the local first?"

"Yes sir, but -"

Whatever else the cadet had been about to say in his defense was cut off. No-one else had even noticed that Pike had his phaser out until he fired. The large cadet fell dead to the barroom floor.

Turning around to address the remaining cadets, Pike's voice was icy.

"Did I or did I not specifically say to you that you were to keep out of trouble?"

The cadets snapped out the answer, all with an eye toward the phaser still in Pike's hand.

"Yes, sir!"

"The rest of you will be having any repairs that are needed here split between you and deducted from your pay. In addition, you will all be spending some time in the booth when we reach San Francisco. I suggest that you think about how fortunate you are that you will live to reach there. Your leaves are cancelled. Get back to your assigned quarters and remain there until time for the shuttle to depart."

As the other cadets fled the bar as quickly as they could manage, Kirk was picking himself back up, staring at the body of the man he'd jokingly called 'Cupcake'. After the last cadet was out of the door, Pike turned his attention back to Kirk, offering him the towel he'd gotten from the bartender. Kirk accepted it with a nod.

"Thanks. I think you have the loudest whistle I've ever heard."

"You're welcome, James. Hopefully that group didn't make my job harder."

The use of his first name made Kirk instantly wary.

"I guess that would depend on what your job is."

Pike casually leaned against one of the tables.

"Currently, I'm working as a Starfleet recruiter."

Narrowing his eyes, Kirk started to reach for the beer he'd had to abandon when the fight broke out, cursing under his breath when he found it was gone. Giving a chuckle, Pike ordered a replacement beer for him.

"Replacing your drink seems only fair since you were trying to give one of my people some good advice."

"Yeah. And look what that got me. No good deed goes unpunished, right?"

"I wouldn't know, James. Never did a good deed to test the theory."

Chuckling at that, Kirk saluted Pike with his beer. Pike ordered a drink for himself, waiting for it to be delivered before making another comment.

"Nice ankle jewelry."

Kirk's good mood evaporated with that comment.

"I can see why they made you a recruiter. You have a way with people."

Tsking, Pike took a long sip of his drink.

"I know you, James. I know who your parents were, I know your record, both juvenile and adult, I know your potential. You could be someone. But not unless you knock the mud of this area off of your boots and get out."

"Never met the guy that sired me and I'm sick of hearing about him. As to the rest? You're the one that pointed out my 'jewelry, old man. You know as well as I do that I can't leave."

"Sure you can, James. You just need the right key. In your case, that key is me. Agree to join Starfleet. Go to the Academy. I can guarantee your way in. After that? It's up to you."

"And if I flunk out?"

"Then I'll know that you were here so long that your brain rotted and you can go find a job whoring yourself by the Bay for all I care. But you know the only way there is to get people to shut up about your father?"

Kirk's bright blue eyes darkened a bit, but Pike could tell that he now had the young man's undivided attention.

"How?"

"Outdo him. Make people forget his name. Make it so that when they hear the name Kirk, you're the one who they think of."

The blue eyes widened as if a new world of possibilities had just opened up in Kirk's mind. Pike waited, wondering to himself if he'd possibly unleashed a beast larger than the one he was expecting.

"How long did it take him to make officer?"

"Four years."

"I'll make it in three."

Pike finished off his drink and stood.

"Tomorrow at 0800, the shuttle leaves. Be there."

The blue eyes were hard and the smile wasn't that of a shark, but a barracuda.

"Wouldn't miss it, old man."


End file.
